Peer violence, or bullying is a significant and troubling issue in today’s society, and unfortunately, it is on the rise in Slovenia as well. The topic of my master's thesis was the experience of peer violence among students in the final three years of primary education in two schools located in the Posavje region. I chose these particular schools because they are attended by children from various backgrounds, including those who are members of ethnic minority groups. In my master’s thesis, I also present the work of the school counseling service and their work with those involved in peer violence.
In the theoretical part of my thesis, I begin by defining violence in a general sense, followed by focus on peer violence specifically. I introduce theories that explain the underlying processes of peer violence, including its different types and categories. I also clarify the roles involved in peer violence, identifying the dynamics between perpetrators and victims as well as the characteristics of each role. Additionally, I explain the distinctions between violence and conflict and present the factors and dynamics of peer violence. This is followed by an examination of the role of the school and the school counseling service, with a specific focus on their response to incidents of peer violence. Since my research also includes children from ethnic minority backgrounds, the theoretical section also addresses multiculturalism, theories of racism and social justice and the social inclusion of ethnic minority students and their involvement in peer violence.
In the empirical section of my thesis, I begin by formulating the research problem and establishing the hypothesis. This is followed by a description of the methodology, where I present the type of research (combination of qualitative and quantitative approach - partially structured interview and survey questionnaire), variables, measuring instruments and population (the study population consist of students in the final three grades of two primary schools in Posavje region as well as two school counselors who provided additional insights). The sample was selected through simple random sampling. Next, I describe the method of data collection, data processing and analysis.
This is followed by an analysis of the research, a discussion and a conclusion, where I conclude that both primary schools involved in the study experience issues with peer violence. Psychological forms of violence, particularly among girls, are the most prevalent, and there is also a noticeable increase in cyberbullying. The school counseling service is noticing more and more aggressive behaviors among parents, which is reflected in the behavior of the children in the school environment. The biggest challenge faced by the school counselors at the schools that were included in the research is communication with parents. According to the findings, most peer violence incidents occur during recess, when no adult supervision is present. Survey respondents identify a lack of understanding or miscommunication with a particular student as the most common reason for engaging in bullying behavior. When ethnic minority students are involved as perpetrators of violence, respondents noted that they tend to target both fellow ethnic minority students as well as other classmates. However, when ethnic minority students are in the role of victims, the violence is more frequently perpetrated by their peers from the majority group rather than by other ethnic minority students. The school counselors interviewed emphasize that addressing peer violence effectively requires a strong focus on preventive measures and collaborative approach. This includes working closely with other educational professionals and establishing positive, open communication channels with parents.
At the conclusion of the research, based on the findings, I present a series of recommendations amide at improving the handling and resolution of peer violence situation.
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